This invention relates generally to vehicle seating and more particularly to an energy-dissipating mounting apparatus for aircraft seating.
Aircraft passenger seating must be able to retain its structural integrity under various crash loads to protect the passengers seated therein, and must be able to pass certification testing which simulates such loads. The deck of an aircraft cabin to which seat units are mounted is relatively flexible, while the seating units themselves are relatively rigid, especially newer units which may be constructed from materials such as carbon-fiber composites.
During the early stages of a crash, the aircraft structure, including the relatively flexible deck, tends to deform in a “rolling” or twisting mode. As the deck is deformed, it tends to separate from a seat mounting, which can leave the seat unit to move uncontrollably, or if it remains attached to impose unacceptable loads on the passenger seats which can cause them to fail. Furthermore, the rigid mounting of a rigid seat unit to an aircraft deck provides little energy-dissipating capability in the event of a crash.